The Federal Evaluation ToolkitBETA

Program evaluations may be executed by agency staff or by an external entity not directly involved with the program (e.g., research organization, university, etc.). This presentation describes the key tasks involved in overseeing an external evaluation: 1) deciding who will manage the external evaluator; 2) defining the evaluation purpose, scope, and timing; 3) setting a budget and obtaining resources; 4) seeking and selecting an external evaluator; 5) establishing a contract or consulting agreement; and 6) managing the evaluator.

Finding an external evaluator who can effectively execute your evaluation takes strategy and careful planning. Use this tip sheet to understand what kinds of experience and expertise to target, how to confirm an evaluator’s background and publications online, and how to assess technical knowledge through reference and conflict of interest checks, reviews of reports, and responses to a statement of work. Check out the overview to learn more about how this resource can help you.